


For Christmas

by wibblywobblymess



Category: Wallander (UK TV)
Genre: Christmas, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-02
Updated: 2012-12-02
Packaged: 2017-11-20 02:40:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/580382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wibblywobblymess/pseuds/wibblywobblymess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lilli & Magnus have been together for 3 years, but never spent a Holiday together - she always went home, and he always cancelled. Will he make it this year?</p>
            </blockquote>





	For Christmas

“What do you mean, you have to work, Magnus? I thought you were getting on the plane tonight to come out,” she said, a little dejectedly. 

“I’ll move the flight to tomorrow, truly, Lilli, it’s no big deal.” Her rosy lips parted against the phone, and she exhaled, but closed her eyes and her mouth, knowing it was futile.

“You’re right. It’s no big deal. I’ll just…tell my mum that we have to move everything back a few hours so I can come get you without missing anything.”

“Lilli…” Magnus started, frowning.

“No. It’s fine. Just text me whatever time you change your flight to, so I don’t leave you at the airport, so I know how far to move things back on this side of the world,” she replied, shaking her head as she lowered the phone.

Lilli didn’t hang up – she couldn’t remember the last time she’d hung up on anyone, and she wasn’t going to start now – but she gave herself a few seconds to breathe before putting the phone back to her ear, lifting her other hand to finish hanging the strand of lights. 

“I am sorry, Lilli, but I cannot just walk away tonight. We’re right there, and as soon as it is over, I’ll be on the first flight.”

“Fine. Like I said. Text me. I’ll see you at some point tomorr-“

“Hey,” he interrupted, knowing she was prepping to hang up.

“…what?”

“I love you, Lillith.”

“…yeah, I know. Love you too, Magnus.” With that, she hung up, and threw her phone onto the couch a few feet away, ignoring the looks from her brother fifteen feet away. Not that he was going to let it go. Instead, her walked up beside her, picking up a strand of garland for the tree in the corner.

“He working again?”

“Shut up, Josh. He promised he’d be here for Christmas…”

“Didn’t he promise to be here for Thanksgiv-“

“Didn’t I say shut up?” she asked, pausing for a second before securing the lights on the hook over her head. 

“Stop it, both of you…who was on the phone, Lil?” sounded an older voice behind her. With a half-smile, Lilli peered back at her mother, who was setting down two glasses of steaming liquid. 

“Magnus…we might have to push things around tomorrow – his…flight got cancelled tonight, rescheduled for tomorrow. I don’t want him to miss anything…” Despite the sigh that sounded from across the room, a sign her mother knew she was lying, she nodded, and tucked her hair behind her ear. 

“That’s fine, darling.” Lilli smiled again, and looked back in front of her. She hated lying. She hated making up reasons for Magnus to miss being part of the family.

The couple had been together for almost three years, and for the first two years, for Thanksgiving, for Christmas, and a few spaced-out times in between, she had traveled out of Europe to visit her home in the Northeastern United States. Every single time she went, she invited Magnus. Every time, he said yes, but at the last minute, he had to back out for work. And after the first couple of times, she made up an excuse – “he had to work” just didn’t sound good after the first two misses. It made it look as though he wasn’t real, or he didn’t care enough to come. Lilli certainly hoped, every single time, that that was not the case. And here they were, at yet another Christmas, and he had called to pus h the trip back. It wasn’t as though it had gone unnoticed by her family – they were certainly aware of his absence every trip. They just typically didn’t say anything. 

Tonight was different. It was Christmas, and even though he didn’t fly out with her, she was excited because she had bought his ticket specifically so he could come later, so work would be finished. 

“Honey?”

“Yeah, mom?” Lilli answered, catching the end of the light string over the window lock. 

“…didn’t Magnus’ flight get cancelled for Thanksgiving, too?” With a huff, Lilli released the lights, and made her way to the hall, picking up her cup on the way.

“I’ll be upstairs if anyone wants me, and I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” At that, she climbed the steps, and shoved her door closed, flicking the lock as she sat at her desk. 

Despite her mom and her brother coming up to attempt to talk to her, Lilli told them to leave her be, and stayed locked in her room. She didn’t want to face them, she didn’t want to admit anything to herself about Magnus not going through on a single promise to meet her family. Every half hour, for a couple of hours, her phone shook across her desktop, with Magnus’ name and smiling face appearing on the screen. 

But as she finally came out of her room, the calls stopped. A smile, forced upon her lips, was flashed at her mom as she came to the bottom of the steps, and plucked her coat off the hook.

“Anyone want to go out with me? I gotta run to the mall.”

“Me!” sounded a voice from the next room. Lilli smiled as her sister came out, pulling on her jacket and grabbing her bag, before, with a few hugs and kisses, the two walked out into the crisp early afternoon air, the snow crunching beneath their feet. 

As the vehicle rolled over the path blazed in the snow on the roads, Lilli’s hands clutched around the steering wheel, her sister looked over, and raised a brow.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“…what’s up, Mel?”

“…did his flight actually get cancelled?” Lilli sighed, and closed her eyes as she stopped at a red light, before shaking her head. She could force the lie to the rest of her family, but her sister was the only one to call her out on it, and she knew she had to admit the truth.

“Work. Work kept him there…he said he’d fly in tomorrow but…” She shrugged. 

“…I see…”

“And if I were to tell mom that, or Josh that, they would both start asking me if I was sure he really cared about me, or something like that.” Mel nodded her head, and reached out, patting her sister’s arm. 

“I know. You don’t have to justify anything to me. Work sucks – but work as a cop doesn’t stop. So I get it. I’m just sorry that this happens every year.”

“…me too…”

“Have you ever thought about staying there with him? I mean…it looks like he’s always going to wind up cancelling trips out here.” 

“…because if I were to cancel my plans to stay in Ystad with him, then it would be like saying I care more about him than he does for me…I am more than happy to stay with him for these holidays. He…just can’t say no to work. I don’t know…maybe I’m just being dramatic. I love him. He loves me. That’s more than enough…” Mel cocked her head as she looked at her sister, but didn’t say anything else as the car crunched across town. 

The day flew. Lilli finished up some final shopping and gift wrapping with her sister in tow, only returning home once the sun had fallen, and night had come. She came home, placing her wrapped gifts beneath the tree with the rest of the gifts, before hanging up her coat, and going upstairs. Magnus hadn’t called since she left for the mall, and, positive he was upset with her, she fumbled with her phone, dialing his number. 

“Martinsson.”

“I’m sorry I got mad at you.” A soft chuckle sounded through the phone, and she smiled a bit, nudging her door closed. 

“You have every right to get upset, Lil. I deserve it.”

“You can’t control Kurt. I know that almost better than you do. I shouldn’t…I don’t mean this to sound bad, but I should know better than to expect you to come here during the holidays. At least without sending Kurt on a one-way cruise.” Magnus snorted on the other end of the line, making her blush, and chuckle. 

“I love you, Lil. And really…this is as much my fault as it is his. I put in for the time off – I need to learn to tell him to bugger off.”

“Let me know when you plan to do that, because I want front-row seats.”

“Darling, when I do that, we’re going on a very long vacation. Wherever you want.”

“I’d like to cash that in now, and have you here with me. I really wish you would come with me one of these trips – you do know it feels like you’re an imaginary friend, when I have to tell them you aren’t showing?” 

Lilli positioned the phone between her head and her shoulder, unzipping her jeans as she slid them off her hips. The sound of her jeans and belt hitting the floor made Magnus pause as he started to say her name, and raise a brow.

“Are you naked?”

“Not yet. I’m going to take a shower when I finish talking to you.” A low whistle sounded through the phone, and she smirked, raising a brow of her own. 

“That’s a sight I miss seeing. I’m so sorry about Kurt, Lil.”

“I know…look…can I call you in a few? Let me shower?”

“Go on. I’ll be waiting,” he murmured into the phone, making her blush, and shift in her place in the middle of the floor. 

“…be good.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too.” With that, she hung up, and ducked into the bathroom off her room. 

The hot water ran down her body, plastering her hair to her head and neck, washing away the chill from the snow, and the unhappiness she had felt at the thought of spending another Christmas without Magnus. She stood in the shower, long after the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash had been rinsed down the drain, until the water started to cool against her skin, before flipping off the knob, and climbing out. 

She wrapped one towel around her body, letting the water drip off her skin, as she plucked another towel out of the closet to dry her hair with. Padding across the carpet, her eyes partially covered by the grey towel over her hair, she leaned down, flicking her finger across her hibernating laptop. A small wet streak formed on the touchpad as the screen lit up, and, upon typing in her password, Lilli clicked on her music player, smiling as the soft music started from the speakers.

“I am dreaming tonight of a place I love, Even more than I usually do. And although I know it's a long road back, I promise you, I'll be home for Christmas. You can count on me. Please have snow and mistletoe…”

“And presents on the tree.” The voice startled her, and she spun towards her bed, wide-eyed, completely baffled by the voice, without a face. 

“…hello?” 

“Over here, Lil.” She spun back towards the computer, seeing Magnus’ pixelated, smiling face as he waved on her monitor.

“Holy shit…I forgot Skype auto starts when I turn this on, what are you doing?”

“I’m talking to my favorite person in the world. Well…singing to her, badly, via phone,” he laughed, as she fumbled with the keyboard to stop the music. “That’s better. You look beautiful,” he added, and she chuckled, blushing, as she lowered her still-damp body into her computer chair. 

“I just showered.”

“I know. How is it there?” he asked, and she thumped back in the chair, frowning a bit. 

“Well…it’s alright. I love my family, but…it’s not complete…I miss you.” He smiled softly, and nodded.

“I know…I miss you, too, baby. And I’m sorry for getting stuck with work.” As he spoke, despite the catching and jerking of the video feed, Lilli noticed the movement behind him, and frowned.

“…where are you?”

“In the car…I’m Skyping on my phone, which is why the quality sucks.” 

“Why on Earth are you Sk-…” A frown formed, and she shifted, leaning towards the computer. “…what are you doing?”

“I just told you.”

“No, I mean, are you Skyping while driving? Where are you?” she asked, seeing a few buildings shoot passed in the video feed. As she asked, and a smirk appeared in his blocky face, the images stopped moving behind him as he finally looked at her. 

“I’m just getting home. I have the first flight out in the morning.” A frown formed, as she shifted to look down at her hands. 

“Will you call when the flight is leaving? So I know when I need to go to the airport to pick you up?”

“I can get a cab, beautiful.”

“I will not let you take a cab to my parents’ house for the first visit. I want to pick you up. Promise me.” He chuckled, plucking his phone out of the holder suspended off his windshield as he climbed from the car, and leaned against the door as he held his phone up to see her again.

“I promise. I’m going to go in and get packed…take a nap…and I’ll call you on my way to the airport in the morning. Alright?”

“Alright…I love you.”

“I love you too…get some rest.”

“Promise.”

With that, the feed went dark, and Lilli sighed, fumbling to start the music again. She was reluctant to stand up, to pull her pajamas on, and lie down in the near-darkness of her room. She left the music to play as she shut off Skype, closed the computer’s lid, and curled up beneath her blanket. It was Christmas Eve, and the first time in years Lilli didn’t join her family in opening their one gift before bed. Not that she didn’t want to – she just wanted to wait for Magnus before she started pulling open the wrapping paper. 

He started to invade her thoughts, preventing her from falling asleep, and, with a huff, after tossing and turning for almost an hour, Lilli shut off her computer, and went downstairs with her pillow under her arm. The Christmas tree twinkled in the corner, each and every blue, green, red, and white light glimmering amongst the branches and tinsel, reflecting off the shiny ornaments. With a small smile on her face, Lilli flopped down on the couch, tucking her pillow beneath her head as she draped the small blanket from the back of the couch over her hip. If she couldn’t curl up with Magnus in her room while Christmas music played, then she was going to curl up in the living room, and pretend he was there with her. It was just enough – barely enough – to make her smile, and drift off.

It couldn’t have been too long – maybe an hour – before she heard the door open in the hallway. Shifting, and rolling onto her back, she peered over, frowning at the sight of her brother sneaking in.

“Getting your rocks off one more time before you open your other gifts?”

“Holy shit, sis, what are you doing down here?” he hissed, ducking into the living room. She chuckled, and shook her head.

“Couldn’t sleep upstairs…what’re you doing up?” she yawned.

“…stepped out for a pack of smokes…go back to sleep.”

“Okay…” Lilli rolled away again, leaving Josh to sigh, and head up the steps.

Her body tensed, and she rammed her elbow backwards as a body laid behind her. 

“Hey!” the voice grumbled, as the hand shot back behind her. Frowning, and knitting her brow together, Lilli quickly rolled over, staring in surprise at Magnus as he rubbed his stomach. “What’d you go and do that for?”

“What are you doing here? I thought you were still in Ystad!” she exclaimed, blushing as she realized how loud she was, and throwing an arm around him, squeaking as they toppled off the couch. He snickered, and shrugged, looking up at her.

“I…lied?” Lilli shoved her hand into his shoulder, making him grunt again, before she pulled back and sat up.

“Why did you lie to me?”

“I wanted to surprise you, Lil. Look…I know you were angry about me getting stuck at work, so I told them if they wanted to fire me, then fire me, I had somewhere else to be…I was actually in the car with your brother when I got on Skype.” Her eyes darted into the hall as she turned, and sighed.

“Magnus…”

“I’ve missed every Christmas with you since we started dating. I wasn’t missing this one,” he promised, scooting over and pulling her body against his. Her face flushed, her skin going pink as she blushed, and snuggled up against him. “So I called him…he slipped out to pick me up…we stopped for a coffee because it is freezing…and then came here.”

“I’m so glad you came. You know…I was starting to consider flying back to Ystad to with you this time…” His lips brushed her forehead as she wriggled into his lap. 

“It would have been awful to get all the way here and find you flew home.” 

Giggling, Lilli nestled her face against his neck, and nodded. Her lips brushed against his skin as his fingers hooked around her waist, holding her as close as he could. 

“Yes. Yes it would have been. Finally getting a Christmas with you…I promise, you’re going to have fun. Mom goes all out with her cooking, and we watch videos – one Christmas video, one family video. So…you’ll get to see me when I was seven.” Magnus snickered, and nodded his approval.

“I bet you were adorable.”

“I was out of my mind. Jumpers and big hair,” she answered, tugging at his curls as he snorted at the thought. “Don’t laugh at me or I’ll make you sleep in the snow.” His hands trailed down her sides as he pulled her closer, and nipped lightly at her neck.

“If you come with me, we could melt the snow,” he purred, making her moan as she tilted her head, and caught his lips 

“Not worth getting frostbite on my ass, Magnus.”

“What about on your knees?”

“Magnus!” she hissed, laughing as she slapped his chest.

“’Ey! Easy! I just meant, what if I took the frostbite to the ass, and you were on top?” Lilli raised a brow as she lifted her head to look at him, and snickered, kissing him lightly. 

“Not happening, Martinsson. Not. Happening.” He smiled, before pinching at her sides, forcing her to her feet as he climbed up, as well. 

As they turned to face each other, Magnus slid his arm around her waist, and drew her in close, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss. Her knees weakened slightly as he held her up, and trailed his fingers across her cheek and through her hair. Reluctantly, he pulled back, and rested his forehead against hers.

“…can I talk you in to coming outside for just a few minutes? Five minutes.” Her head was swimming as she nodded, and kissed him quickly. 

“Sure…let…let me get my shoes…” 

He helped her into her shoes, and plucked her coat off the rack for her, before tugging his own back on, and heading out into the snowy darkness. The jacket crinkled as he slid his arm around her, holding her close in the chilled night air. 

“I regret not coming to Maine sooner to be with you for holiday, darling.” Creases formed on the edges of her eyes as she smiled, and looked away, leaning against him.

“I told you every year that you would like it.”

“You were right. But I think if I had done this in the last two years, it might not have been…right.” Quirking a brow, Lilli shifted, and turned to see him.

“Done what?” 

There wasn’t anything but a smirk from him as he pulled away, and moved towards the yard. He stuffed his hands into the snow, standing upright as he packed a small ball. Lilli widened her eyes as he turned towards her, and began to pull his arm back.

“No…no, no, no, don’t you d-MAGNUS!” she laughed, ducking as the snowball whizzed past her head. She fumbled, quickly making her own as she threw it back. 

His boots thumped, mashing the snow in the yard, as he chased her around the side of the house. The pair giggled, despite Lilli’s attempts to be quiet, knowing her parents and her siblings were sleeping on the second floor, as he threw another snowball at her, ducking to miss the one she threw back. As she dug her heel in to turn and throw another, Magnus’ body slammed against hers, toppling the both of them into the cold white fluff. 

“Oh!” she squealed, writhing beneath him as she swatted her hands at her hips. “God! Cold! In my pants!” Snorting, Magnus grabbed onto her hips, and shifted them around until she was sitting on his lap. 

“Better?”

“Sort of! Eeesh! You know, my family is asleep in the house. I thought you just wanted to come out and look, not throw snowballs at me.” He grinned innocently, and cupped his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her down for a kiss.

“Question.”

“Answer.”

“Do you guys open a gift on Christmas Eve?” She sat up a little, but nodded, curiosity showing through her smile.

“Every year…I didn’t…I showered instead.”

“Why?” he asked, shifting to sit up as she slid down to his thighs. Her shoulders popped as she shrugged, and rubbed her hands together for warmth. 

“I just…didn’t want to. I wanted you to show up, you would be my present. And here you are,” she softly admitted, leaning in to kiss him. For a second, he returned the kiss,  
before he pulled back, and ran his fingers down her cheek.

“How about letting me be half your gift? Because I have another gift for you…in my pocket.”

“Magnus!”

“Not that. Something else. Something that won’t get tired,” Magnus snickered, making her cold face turn a faded pink. 

“Oh…what is it?”

“You have to open it first…if you want it tonight, that is.”

“Please?” she asked softly, jutting out her bottom lip in a pout as she wriggled her hips against his lap.

“Ohhh…” he groaned, before slipping one hand around her waist, and dotting kisses across her neck and cheek before catching her lips. “Careful, or you’ll be getting two gifts before you go to sleep tonight.”

“I can handle that, but what’s the first o-“ Before she could finish asking, he tugged a small object from his pocket, and tugged her glove off her hand, wiggling it onto her finger. “…Magnus…?”

“Marry me?” The fog forming as her breath passed her lips disappeared, her breath catching, as her eyes dropped to the shiny band down on her hand. 

“…oh my god…oh…oh my…Magnus…”

“…please?” His voice was soft, hopeful, and a little worried, as she tried to find words, coherent thought, the ability to breathe. Her eyes finally lifted to see his face, and, with a hard swallow, she laid her hands on either cheek, and leaned in, kissing him deeply as she nodded, words completely escaping her.

Her eyes finally lifted to see his face, and, with a hard swallow, she laid her hands on either cheek, and leaned in, kissing him deeply as she nodded, words completely escaping her. But she pulled back, still nodding, as he laughed softly. His hands hooked around her hips, and he helped her stand as he clambered to his feet, as well, swiping the melted snow from his slacks. 

“Merry Christmas, future-Mrs. Martinsson,” he murmured, bowing his head to catch her lips in another kiss. A laugh passed his lips as she giggled, and bounced excitedly as she threw her arms around him. 

“Merry Christmas, Mr. Martinsson.” A grin formed on his lips, and he nudged his nose against her for a moment before sighing, and raising his head. “What?”

“Can we go inside now? I can’t feel my ass.” Snorting, and laughing, she clasped her hands around his waist, and pulled him back inside the warmth of the Christmas-lit house, leaving the chill and the snow behind them.

**Author's Note:**

> \----  
>  _I do not give permission to have any of my works put up on goodreads or any other such site_


End file.
